Pomegranate fruit borer( Virachola isacrat,lycaenidae, Lepidioptera)
Damaging stage: larva
Damaging symptoms: bore fruit, ruits rot and drop off
Identification
- Egg: laid singly on tender leaves, stalks and flower , Shiny, white, oval shaped
- Larva: dark brown, having short hairs and white patches all over the
- Pupa: inside fruit
- Adult: Male glossy, bluish violet, female brownish violet with an orange patch on forewings
Life cycle:
Egg –7-10 days –> larva –18-47 days–> Pupa –7-34 days –> Adult
Management :
- Wrapping of fruit
- Clipping off calyx cup of flowers immediately after pollination will help to reduce the egg load on the fruits and damage level.
- Clipping off calyx cup immediately after pollination and two rounds of spraying with neem oil at 3 per cent also controlled pest infestation effectively.
- Two sprays of Emamectin benzoate 5 SG at the rate of 25 gms/lit or Spinosad 45 SC at the rate of 0.20ml/lit has recorded highest reduction in the fruit damage, with maximum benefits to the growers.